


One (Earth) Day in the Lives of the Doctor and Romana

by LizBee



Category: Doctor Who
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-08-20
Updated: 2006-08-20
Packaged: 2017-10-03 23:14:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,893
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23303
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LizBee/pseuds/LizBee
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Ten and Romana have adventures together, and hang out, and do stuff.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One (Earth) Day in the Lives of the Doctor and Romana

Hour 1 (Tokyo, 11.32pm, December 14, 1998)

 

"Romana?"

"Yes, Doctor?"

"Remember how I said that sabotaging a Caluran ship was perfectly simple, and nothing could go wrong, and there was almost no chance of our being blown into little pieces covering Tokyo?"

"You're about to tell me to run, aren't you?"

"I always said you were a clever girl."

 

Hour 2 (Tokyo, 12.45am, December 15, 1998)

 

"Doctor?"

"Yes, Romana?"

"I just thought I'd mention that you can be quite condescending sometimes."

"You're not the first to tell me this."

"No, I suppose not." Romana sipped her green tea. "Do you think any survived? Calarans, I mean."

"Well..."

"I'll take that as a yes. You don't finish sentences when you're prevaricating." She stood up and patted him on the arm. "Finish your drink. I'll be back in fifteen minutes."

"Be careful," he called after her. She waved over her shoulder and vanished into the crowd.

 

Hour 3 (Tokyo, 1:55am, December 15, 1998)

 

"Don't say a word."

"I wasn't going to say anything!"

"You had a look in your eye. Like you were about to say something ... smug."

"I'm never smug."

"How is it possible to reach one's second millennium with so little self-knowledge?"

"I don't know," he needed an extra hand, and put his sonic screwdriver in his mouth, so his voice was muffled as he added, "how is it possible to get arrested for saving the world?"

"That was an unforeseeable complication," said Romana with all the dignity she could muster.

 

Hour 4 (Meganesia, 8:23am, human equivalent date unavailable)

 

"Don't take this the wrong way..."

"There's a promising start."

"But I rather like this planet better before the humans evolved." Romana was sitting on a rock overlooking the sea. The air was cold. It was barely a millennium since the last ice age had ended.

"It's so quiet," she added. "So full of potential."

"Bit boring, but."

"Not everything has to end in mayhem."

"People keep saying this. I don't understand why."

"Hmm."

 

Hour 5 (In orbit above Jupiter, 10:12pm, May 15, 2762)

 

"Nine hundred and forty-three."

"I'm sorry?"

"Back in Tokyo, you said I was in my second millennium. I'm only nine hundred and forty-three."

"Doctor," said Romana patiently, "you may be able to fool most humanoids, but you can't lie to me about your age."

He muttered something under his breath. Romana decided not to ask him to repeat it.

 

Hour 6 (In orbit above Jupiter, 11:25pm, May 15, 2762)

"Power failure in six minutes--"

"Yes, thank you, we know!"

"Yelling at the computer isn't going to help."

"Realign the--"

"I'm on it, Doctor, thank you!"

"I was only trying to be help--"

"I know. I do appreciate it, really, only I'm a bit concerned that we're about to die."

"Power failure in five minutes and thirty seconds."

"Romana, come here and look at this."

"What am I looking at?"

"Salvation. Can I borrow your sonic screwdriver?"

"Here. Where's yours?"

"On a prehistoric beach, I think. We'll have to go back for it after I've saved this station."

"Power failure in five--"

"Watch this."

"Power restored. All systems returning to normal."

"Good work—awp!"

"Didn't I tell you I'd save us?"

"Yes, and I believed you, but put me down! There's no room to dance in here, and--"

"Good point."

"There's room to dance in the TARDIS."

"Romana?"

"Yes?"

"You're a little bit wonderful, you know."

"I think someone told me that once, but it's nice to have a reminder."

 

Hour 7 (TARDIS, hour and date uncertain)

 

"It's all about timing."

"Timing?"

"And dexterity."

"Of course."

"And skill. There's a certain amount of skill involved."

"And practice?"

"Well ... if you don't have the knack to begin with..."

"Like this?"

"That's rather good. For a beginner, I mean."

"Mm."

"A bit of practice and you'll be as good as – as good as--"

"As good as you, Doctor?"

"Well..."

"You're prevaricating again."

"You are rather good."

"Well," Romana admitted, "once you've built a time travel machine out of alien parts, under the guidance of a robot dog, pancakes seem quite easy by comparison."

 

Hour 8 (TARDIS, hour and date uncertain)

 

"An alternate universe?"

"It was – the decision was taken out of my hands."

"There are worse ways to spend one's life."

"I did think of you."

"I'm touched." Romana wrinkled her nose at him. "Tell me again about her mother."

 

Hour 9 (TARDIS, hour and date uncertain)

 

"...Of course, getting a delegation of Time Lords to behave themselves was like – like--"

"Herding cats?"

"I'm not sure I know what a cat is, but I suppose so. Anyway, Ressen was being a bore as usual, and the Ambassador finally gave up and said to me, 'Lady President, your Time Lords seem to be revolting'."

"And you said...?"

"I honestly don't remember, but it certainly wasn't the first thing that came into my head."

"I suppose that's one of those necessary presidential qualities."

"Of course." She paused. "This was before the war, of course."

"Yes. I know."

 

Hour 10 (London, 2:16am, June 17, 1923)

 

"Doctor, I don't think I'll be staying with you much longer."

"Is this really the time?"

They were at that moment breaking into a bank.

"I suppose not."

"Shh. Is that the guard?"

"It's just your imagination."

They listened. Silence.

"Why would you leave?"

No answer.

"It's not like there's no reason to stay."

"Quiet. Someone's coming."

 

Hour 10 (London, 3:28am, June 17, 1923)

 

"I have something I think you were looking for."

"You ."

"Me."

"I heard you were here. Last of the Time Lords, isn't that what you call yourself? The lonely god, right?"

"Yeah, bit embarrassing, that. Don't know how those stories get started. So, did you want the power source, or should I put it back where I found it?"

"You think you're in a position to barter."

"Well – yes. Without me, you're stuck in 1923, and I'm pretty sure most of this century is off-limits to Time Agents. Anyway, who said anything about bartering? You haven't asked what I want in return yet."

"Doctor. I don't need to ask."

"...You don't?"

"You'll trade our power source for the woman."

"...Woman?"

"The woman who travels with you."

"...Oh."

"Now, Doctor. Let's talk."

 

Hour 11 (London, 4:52am, June 17, 1923)

 

"Romana?"

"Doctor!"

"This would be a good moment to run for your life."

"Oh, good! Just what I wanted to hear."

 

Hour 12 (London, 5:21am, June 17, 1923)

"Against my better judgement, sir--"

"Doctor--"

"We have found ourselves with no choice but to let you and your friend go free." The police officer looked saddened. "Lack of evidence, apparently."

"That is disappointing," the Doctor agreed.

On their way back to the TARDIS, Romana said, "Two arrests in one day."

"It's starting to get embarrassing."

"Oh, absolutely."

 

Hour 13 (TARDIS, hour and date uncertain)

 

The Doctor sat by the console, occasionally making an adjustment or correction, but mostly just sitting. Romana drank tea and watched him.

There was no need for words.

 

Hour 14 (First moon of Adara III, 7:20pm, October 14, 2819)

 

"I meant it, you know. About leaving."

"I don't like bars. They always smell strange."

"Doctor..."

"Stale intoxicants and body odour. Too many people in one place."

"Conducting mating rituals."

"Yes, and listening to bad music. I must be getting old. It just sounds like noise to me."

"And you can hardly dance to it. There's no proper beat."

"Nineteen-thirties Earth. There's a place for dancing."

"It always comes back to Earth with you," she said mildly.

"Where would you go if you left? What would you do?"

"I've no idea." She sipped her water. "It would be an adventure."

 

Hour 15 (First moon of Adara III, 8:33pm, October 14, 2819)

 

"You know what I miss?"

"Mm?"

"Those little bowls of nuts. I never ate them, but it was nice to know they were there."

"If you need them."

"If I need them."

 

Hour 16 (TARDIS, hour and date uncertain)

 

"We should get a pet."

"A robot dog?"

"I've always liked the idea of owning a fish."

"Why get a pet," the Doctor asked, "if you're thinking of leaving."

"Oh. Well." She looked away. "I wasn't planning to go immediately."

 

Hour 17 (Martian tunnels, 4:03am, September 19, 2458)

 

Romana was laughing.

"It's not that funny."

"But it is!"

"I mean, sure, to a primitive mind or an untrained sense of humour it might seem slightly amusing."

She had to stop, stooping down and holding her sides.

"But to a sophisticated Time Lady--"

"Stop! You're only making it worse."

After a long time, she had calmed down enough to say, "It was just that Martha and I had a bet going."

"About me?"

"Well, those silly nicknames you accumulate." Her mouth twitched again. "'The Architect of Eternity'. I think I've won."

"I'm happy for you, really."

"I do appreciate it."

 

Hour 18 (Martian tunnels, 4:01am, September 19, 2458)

 

"I hate existing twice in the same period."

"Makes me itchy."

"Like deja vu, only stronger."

"Let's not mess this up. I don't want to have to do this again."

 

Hour 19 (Martian tunnels, 3:59am, September 19, 2458)

 

"This is a terrible idea."

"Don't blame me, I didn't drop the sonic screwdriver."

"I'm not the one who had to stop and have a laugh the first time around!"

"You must admit ... it was a little bit funny."

 

Hour 20 (TARDIS, hour and date uncertain)

 

"Romana?"

"Mmph?"

"Are you asleep?"

"Yes."

"Oh."

"Why?"

"No, no, it's nothing."

"Doctor..."

"I was just wondering if you've ever been to sixteenth century France."

She sat up and pushed her hair out of her face. "Is that the one with that courtesan?"

"Wrong century."

"Oh, well. No, I've never been there. I'm sure it's lovely."

"Good. We arrived ten minutes ago."

"Doctor?"

"Yes?"

"Don't you ever sleep?"

"...Should I?"

"Never mind."

 

Hour 21 (Salon-de-Provence, 11:06am, August 12, 1551)

 

"Making friends with the locals, Romana?"

"This is Michel. He wants to do my horoscope."

"Brave man."

"You are a skeptic, sir?"

"I just think you're in for a nasty shock when you see Romana's birth chart."

"You mustn't pay any attention to him, Michel, no one else does."

 

Hour 22 (Salon-de-Provence, 12:17pm, August 12, 1551)

 

"Run."

"Those creatures," Michel was breathing heavily as he ran, "what are they?"

"Difficult to explain. This isn't the time."

"Are they devils?"

"Nothing so extraordinary."

"Be fair, Doctor, he's had a lot to take in."

"True enough, but I'm not letting you keep him."

"I wasn't even going to ask!"

"Romana, I can read you like a--"

An inhuman roar split the sky. Those who hadn't already fled to their homes were screaming.

"Perhaps," said Michel, "we should concentrate on running."

 

Hour 23 (Salon-de-Provence, 1:22pm, August 12, 1551)

 

"So, you're a writer?"

"After a fashion. I have a very successful Almanack."

"What," said the Doctor, "prophecies and that?"

"Precisely! In fact, I am thinking of writing a book of prophecies. The history of the future."

"Mmm," said the Doctor. He exchanged a look with Romana.

Neither of them laughed.

 

Hour 24 (TARDIS, hour and date uncertain)

 

"Romana?"

"Yes, Doctor?"

"Are you really going to leave?"

"I don't know." She stretched. "One day."

"Soon?"

"No. Not soon."

He took her hand. "Good."

 

end


End file.
